• When here in the Outer Hebrides and looking at a bird, have you ever wondered how rare it is? The status of all species can vary enormously from island to island. How rare is Shoveler on Barra, has Stock Dove been seen on Harris, does Dotterel occur on Benbecula in the autumn, and how common is Blue Tit on North Uist? Well, fret no longer! The Status and Distribution of birds here on the Outer Hebrides has been completely updated and summarised for every species and each of the main islands and outliers. Available as an online resource at https://status.outerhebrides-birdreports.org/ or via our shop

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Mega!!! 7th September 2017

Hawkeye

Eyes and Ears Everywhere
Eoligarry, Barra
An ****American Redstart**** seen this evening in the sycamore trees at the back of the Church - see Bruce's post

Ruhba Ardvule, South Uist
A three hour seawatch this morning produced 23 Red-throated Divers (S), 2 Great Northern Divers (S), 4 Storm Petrels (S), 18 Fulmars (S), 46 Manx Shearwaters (S), 163 Gannets (S), 1 Shag (S), 1 Cormorant (S), 14 Whimbrel (S), 6 Kittiwakes (S), 1 Arctic Tern (S), 6 Guillemots (S), 6 Razorbills (S), and 1 auk sp (S). A Red-throated Diver was also in the area.
 

Bruce

Senior Member
On what appeared to be a very quiet day, I decided to check the trees behind the church at Eoligarry just in case there was something lurking there during the late afternoon. As I approached the trees a small bird with yellow bases to the tail flew up from the ground and landed in a sycamore. For a brief moment I thought it was going to be a greenfinch but quickly realised it was too small. Luckily it perched on an open bit of branch so I could get my bins on it, whereupon I had the shock of my life as the penny dropped that I was watching Britain's 6th American Redstart!

It fed actively under the sycamores and around the brambles between the showers. I've checked this site daily over the past week and am certain that the bird was new in today.

DSCN9793 (2).JPG DSCN9798 (2).JPG
 

BrianR

Senior Member
A one hour seawatch at Aird an Runair, North Uist after the rain cleared (15.30-16.30 hours) produced the following SW: 25 Fulmars, 56 Manx Shearwaters, 26 Gannets (two juveniles), an Aythya duck (probably Tufted), 4 Red-throated Divers and single Arctic and Great Skuas. A new leucistic Common Gull was in the area and a Lapland Bunting flew over calling.
 
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